A HAMPSHIRE attraction is planning to mark the centenary of the day one of its exhibits became the world's fastest car.
The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu is home to the iconic Sunbeam 1000HP, which hurtled along Florida's Daytona Beach at more than 200mph in 1927.
But the vehicle's two V12 aero engines have not run for over half a century after falling victim to corrosion.
Now the museum has launched a £300,000 appeal to fund repairs in time to take Sunbeam back to Florida, where it will be displayed to mark the 100th anniversary of its record-breaking run.
Engineers will work alongside staff from the Hampshire-based Brookspeed Automotive.
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Restoration work will be carried out in front of visitors to the museum and documented throughout using blogs and other methods of recording progress.
Schools, colleges, and universities will be offered opportunities to take part in the project.
Michelle Kirwan, the museum's head of development, said: "This is a wonderfully exciting opportunity to raise the funds necessary to breathe new life into the two engines.
"To be able to take this iconic car back to Daytona, where world land speed record history was made, would be incredible."
The 25ft long vehicle was built by the Sunbeam Car Company for the sole purpose of exceeding 200mph.
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Its designers decided to position the driver’s cockpit between the front and rear engines.
The bright red car weighed more than three tons but its streamlined bodywork earned it the nickname The Slug, an iconic title given its speed and power.
On March 29 1927 the Eton-educated Major Henry Segrave raised the world land speed record to 203.79mph in front of about 30,000 spectators.
Strong winds on the first outward run caused the Sunbeam to skid violently. Major Segrave was forced to drive into the sea to slow down before making history later that day.
Three years later he was killed during an attempt to set a new water speed record.
Sunbeam was loaned to what was then the Montagu Motor Museum in 1958 before being bought by Edward, Lord Montagu in 1970.
It sits alongside fellow record-breakers including Golden Arrow and one of the Bluebird vehicles.
The museum's senior engineer, Ian Stanfield, has already started to strip down the Sunbeam's rear engine to discover the true extent of the corrosion.
Anyone wishing to support the fundraising campaign should email michelle.kirwan@beaulieu.co.uk
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